Ron Joseph is one of New York state’s hottest New Orleans-style jazz clarinetists.
He hails from nearby Rome, New York, so we’re lucky to hear him every once in a while right here in Syracuse.

Ron’ll be back in town playing with the Can-Am Jazz Band at 5, 7:30 and 9:15 p.m., on Friday, July 30, at the Mardi Gras Pavilion at the second annual Northeast Jazz & Wine Festival, in Clinton Square, downtown. The festival is free; 479-JAZZ.

‘Honeysuckle’ for Hucko
Over the years, Ron has performed at numerous festivals and events with various Dixieland bands and jazz combos throughout the Northeast and in Canada...

CATEGORY: General Society

TAGS: Downtown After Dark, Russ Tarby

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Opening for Lou Gramm at the Inner Harbor next Wednesday should be cake for the Original Todd Hobin Band.

After all, during its heyday 35 years ago, the Syracuse-based rock band warmed up huge crowds for The Beach, Boys, The Kinks and the Allman Brothers.
Gramm, Foreigner’s iconic vocalist, will headline the weekly Inner Harbor Party, which begins with the Hobin Band’s set at 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 28. It’s free.

The Original Todd Hobin Band features Todd, Doug Moncrief, Bruce Fowler, Todd’s brother Shawn hobin on drums and son, Brett Hobin on bass.
“This show is very special for a lot of reasons,” Todd said. “Lou and I grew up together in Rochester...

CATEGORY: General Society

TAGS: Downtown After Dark

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“We’re as busy as we’ve ever been, unfortunately,” exclaimed Carolyn, who works in the office at the Rescue Mission on Gifford Street on the western edge of downtown Syracuse.

Carolyn and Judy, who also clerks at the Mission, were volunteering their time running the concession stand at the mid-week concert July 7, at Liverpool’s Johnson Park. In between twangy tunes by J.D...

CATEGORY: General Society

TAGS: Downtown After Dark

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When Karl Cole first set his fingers upon the Wurlitzer Opus 1143 pipe organ, it was still installed at RKO Keith’s Orchestra on South Salina Street, downtown. That was 44 years ago.

He played sold-out shows there alongside keyboard wizards such as Carleton James and Paul Forrester. In fact, in June 1966 he was on the bill at Keith’s closing concert, “A Glimpse of the Past,” which also featured well-known theater organist Luella Wickham.

Though he moved south in 1975 and now lives in Naples, Fla., Cole returns this weekend to play that cherished instrument where it’s now located, at the New Times Theater, in the Art & Home Center, at the State Fairgrounds...

CATEGORY: General Society

TAGS: Downtown After Dark

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Talk about serendipity! Syracuse Peace Council organizer Andy Mager and Syracuse Jazz Fest Artistic Director Frank Malfitano met this spring to arrange for SPC to staff an informational table at the 28th annual festival this weekend, at Onondaga Community College.


“The next thing you know,” Malfitano said. “We’re conceptualizing a full-blown crafts area at jazz fest.”


Mager and SPC warmly welcomed the idea.


“[We’ll] offer a diverse range of quality crafts including pottery, jewelry, clothing, fabric dolls and quilted items,” Mager said...

CATEGORY: General Society

TAGS: Syracuse Jazz Fest 2010,Salt City Ramblers,Syracuse Peace Council,Andy Mager, Price Chopper Fireworks,Syracuse Frank Malfitano Bull & Bear

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Like New York state itself, the New York State Blues Festival is in the red.

For this summer, festival organizers have called it quits.

Last month, harmonica wizard and festival director Bernie Clarke announced that the 19th annual mid-July jam would move from Clinton Square to the Inner Harbor.

Then last week, after major sponsors failed to cough up the needed dough, the impresarios pulled the plug on this year’s free-admission fest, which had been set for July 9-11.

Last year’s blues fest audiences reveled in sets by Kim Simmonds & Savoy Brown, Rory Block, John Hammond Jr., Popa Chubby and Alexis Suter...

CATEGORY: General Society

TAGS: DOWNTOWN AFTER DARK ,Russ Tarby,syracuse entertainment,Blues Fest syracuse,NE Jazz & Wine Fest,New York State Blues festival,Dinosaur-Bar-B-Que,dogs at Heid’s,Adam Richman,CNY Jazz Arts Foundation,

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Downtown’s festival season starts this weekend with Taste of Syracuse, the brainchild of Jim Horsman, who got the meatball rolling back in the mid-90s, and now helmed by Pam Levine of Galaxy Communications.


Under Galaxy’s management, the late-spring food and music bash has blossomed into a 21st century cornucopia of suds and sausages, ethnic entrees and homemade hotcakes, homegrown tunes and Southern Rock anthems.


From Arby’s to Zebb’s, more than 100 area restaurants and food vendors will serve apples to ziti, fresh, crisp, juicy foods soaked in sauces from creamy vodka to peppery marinara to molasses-based barbecue...

CATEGORY: General Society

TAGS: Downtown’s festival season Syracuse,Pam Levine,Charlie Bertini,Syracuse Cinephile Society,AppleJazz Festival,Galaxy Communications.Taste of Syracuse

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